Parish City

Parish State

I have been involved in our Diocesan summer camp now for about 14 years. As a youth, a volunteer, and now the coordinator of the camp, this is always the favorite.
What You Need
This game only works with a larger group of people. We have about 80-100 youth and about 30 counselors. You could have less (or more), but would need to adjust a few things. As I explain the game, keep in mind the numbers we had.
As far as supplies, your basic supplies would be:
Bandanas – 10 of two different colors (we use red and blue)
10 Long Socks
Flour
Markers
Different Colored Yarn
Those are the basic supplies, but you will also need supplies for several stations.
How The Game Is Played
There are several stations that each of the youth must try to complete. They get a string tied to their wrist every time they complete a station. We would have 12 stations. One person at a time can try to complete each station. Each station can also form a line of up to three people waiting to do the station. If you have 100 youth this would mean that about 1/2 of the youth are at a station and the other half are trying to find one that is available.
While all of that is going on, there are Bonkers (wearing red bandanas) running around trying to hit the youth with a sock filled with flour. The youth working at the station and the three in line are safe. Everyone else can be bonked. If you are bonked, the bonker will mark your arm with a marker and you are frozen until a medic (wearing blue bandanas) comes and saves you. They will turn your mark in to a cross and you will be free to run again.
The game is played over a large field, with plenty of room to run around and is played for a set amount of time.
You count up points by adding all of the strings up and subtracting the number of bonks.
Other Helpful Hints
We had about 10 bonkers and about 8 medics each time we played.
Bonkers are not allowed to throw the sock at youth while they are running to get them.
Make the stations fun but not necessarily easy.
If possible have one person running the station and another to tie string on the the wrists of the youth.
Use a permanent marker so it is harder to wash off during the game.
Youth are only allowed to complete each station once.
What Types of Stations To Use?
Here is a list of some ideas for stations that you can use:
Spin around a bat 10 times and shoot a finger dart at a rock
Drink 2 glasses of water
Catholic Apologetics (answer questions about the faith)
Count to 100
Balance a glass of water on your head and walk from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’
Change in to one set of clothes, run to one end, change in to another set of clothes and run back.
Name 5 counselors
Talk for 30 seconds without saying the words ‘Like, Umm, or Hmm..’
Tell a joke
Carry 10 bats from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ and back all at once without dropping any
Blow up a balloon, tie it, and sit on it to pop it.
Take a piece of gum and blow a bubble
Find a verse in the bible
Make a paper airplane and have it land in a certain area
(two people) Do the wheel barrel with each other from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’
Enjoy!

In leading 100’s of games over about 16 years this has been one of the favorites.
Materials Needed
blindfolds
a marked off area (either a square in a gym or made with cones)
dodge balls (softer is better)
Setup
Set up the boundaries. Have each person find a partner. One of them will be blindfolded and the other will not. Place a good number balls scattered around within the boundary. The blindfolded person will be in the boundary area and their teammate will be on the outside. To start, no one should be holding any balls and it works well to move the person around a bit so they don’t know exactly where they are at or which way they are facing when the game starts.
Game Play
When the leader says “GO” the teammates on the outside of the play area will guide their teammates to grab a ball and throw it at the other within in the play area. When a person gets hit by a ball or goes outside of the boundary, they are out. Play until only one person is remaining.
I found many versions of this on YouTube. I’ve included a video I found of the version we played below.

This game is one of the more funnier games to watch. It is very simple but is wide open for variations.
Supplies Needed
Hats (usually simple winter caps are fine)
Tape
Something Else
How the game works
Have as many people that you want playing to put on one of the hats. Then you will cover the hat with tape, sticky side facing out. On the floor, you will have a lot of small objects (we have used coins or q-tips before). When the leader says GO, everyone with a taped hat on will move around on the floor trying to get as many objects as they can stuck on their hat. They can only use their head to do so (no hands).
A couple of extras or variations
We have had a great time putting the hat over their eyes so they could only move around by the help of their teammates voices.
You could place different objects that are worth different values
You could place several different objects around the room and call out what they should go for. After a set amount of time, call out the next item.

This is a youth ministry game that we started playing about two years ago and is always a great game because it is quick to put together, the supplies are minimal and it is extremely competitive and engaging.
The Ideal Setting
This game works if you have anywhere from 12-99 people. Those may seem like random numbers to you, but the trick is that people are in teams of three. So as long as you have a dividend of three you are good, but the more teams you have to more crazy it gets.
Game Set-Up (image below)
You will set-up a circle game area using cones, tape, or maybe the center of a basketball court. Then you will have all of the groups line up outside of the circle and have the three people in each group form a line. Then you will have random objects (or just small balls) in the middle of the circle.
How The Game is Played
Each person on each team will be given a name. The first person is named Larry, the second is Curly, and the third is Moe. The person leading the game will say one of those three names. Whichever person has their name called will run around the circle, around all of the other teams, until they get back to their team. Then they will go under the legs of their two teammates and rush to the center to grab one of the objects in the middle. There will be less objects in the middle than the number of teams and the teams that do not get an object are out of the game. You play until you are down to one team.
Miscellaneous Stuff
Be sure to state that teams can not “back-up” to slow the other teams down.
As you get fewer teams, have the spread out evenly across the circle.
A good strategy is to have the two members get really close so that is it easier to get through their legs.
Usually better if you can have gender separated teams.
Have fun and trick people by saying one of the names leisurely instead of shouting it out.
Image of play